Minister Of Transportation Anticipates The Surge In Passengers In The Java-Bali Crossing

Minister of Transportation Dudy Purwagandhi (intermediate)

Minister of Transportation (Menhub) Dudy Purwagandhi emphasized the importance of anticipating a surge in passengers crossing Java-Bali during transportation for the end of the 2024 holiday, to ensure smooth travel.

"We have instructed steps to anticipate a surge in Java-Bali passenger crossings, during the 2024 end of holiday transportation," said the Minister of Transportation, while directly monitoring Ketapang Port, quoting Antara.

The Minister of Transportation stated that his party had assigned PT ASDP Indonesia Ferry and other relevant stakeholders to take strategic steps to ensure smooth, comfortable, and safety of crossing service users.

The Minister of Transportation emphasized the importance of safety and infrastructure readiness aspects in anticipating a surge in passengers crossing Java-Bali during the Christmas and New Year holidays.

Dudy has also ordered the ranks of the Ministry of Transportation to increase the number of surveillance officers in the field to ensure the safety of passengers during this year's end of holidays.

These supervisors include ensuring that all ships operating have undergone regular technical checks with strict supervision.

Bali is one of the most popular destinations for the public during the Christmas and New Year holidays. We have anticipated a possible spike, especially before New Year's Eve, safety is a top priority," he said again.

He also ensured that all operations at Ketapang Port, including shipworthiness and crew readiness, had met strict safety standards.

Facing the surge in passengers, Ketapang Port capacity has also been increased. Now the port is able to accommodate up to 1,670 small vehicles, an increase from the previous capacity of 1,570 vehicles.

In addition, the ship's capacity has also increased significantly, from 12,885 small vehicles to 15,215 small vehicles.

To monitor the situation at the port in real-time, PT ASDP has also increased the number of CCTVs at Ketapang Port to 110 units. This monitoring is supported by an integrated monitoring room that is connected to three main ports, namely Ketapang, Gilimanuk, and Janger.

Based on data, PT ASDP noted that on D+4 (December 29, 2024), the total number of passengers crossing from Gilimanuk to Ketapang was recorded at 37,975 people, an increase of 12 percent compared to the same period last year of 34,025 people.

For two-wheeled vehicles, the number crossing reached 4,281 units (up 18 percent), while four-wheeled vehicles were recorded at 3,444 units (down 5 percent). Overall, the total number of vehicles crossing from Bali to Java reached 9,806 units, an increase of 6 percent compared to the previous year.

On the other hand, the current from Ketapang to Gilimanuk showed a decline. The total number of passengers crossing on D+4 was 29,025 people, down 11 percent from the same period last year.

The total number of two-wheeled vehicles crossing reached 1,850 units (down 1 percent), and four-wheeled vehicles reached 3,026 units (down 12 percent).

The surge in passengers during Christmas and New Year is a challenge that we continue to anticipate. The readiness of infrastructure, improvement of facilities, and strict supervision are concrete steps by the government to ensure that people's journey runs safely, safely and smoothly," said Minister of Transportation Dudy.

Furthermore, the Minister of Transportation expressed his appreciation for the readiness of ports and synergies that have been carried out by various parties in ensuring the smooth flow of crossings during Christmas and New Year 2024/2025.

Minister of Transportation Dudy also appealed to the public to take advantage of the online ticket system to speed up the crossing process and reduce queues at ports.

"We continue to encourage people to use online ticket services that have been provided, because this helps create more orderly and efficient travel," said the Minister of Transportation.